After all the hullabaloo that’s been made about Apple Music securing the rights to stream Taylor Swift’s 1989, there’s an even more acclaimed album that’ll be available on the streaming service for the first time. After 23 years, Dr. Dre’s seminal G-funk classic The Chronic will finally make its streaming debut when it hits Apple Music on Tuesday, according to a report from Rolling Stone.
Released in 1992, The Chronic has never before been made available on any streaming music service, including the hip hop star’s own Beats Music service. The album had been the subject of an ongoing legal battle between Dr. Dre and his former label Death Row Records, which may be the reason why it’s been previously unavailable. Dre received full digital rights to The Chronic in 2011 and is free to release the album on Apple Music.
But, strangely, even after winning back the rights to distribute the album digitally four years ago, he kept The Chronic under lock and key. As of June 2015, it’s still not available for download on American versions of iTunes or Amazon; you won’t find it on Spotify, Tidal, or any of their competitors; and even when Dre launched his own Beats Music service in 2014, The Chronic remained absent.
In addition to possibly boosting Apple Music with the digital exclusive of his classic album The Chronic, Dr. Dre is said to be involved with the Beats 1 streaming radio station as well. The hip-hop artist will host a slot on the broadcast called “The Pharmacy” alongside other notable artists including Drake and Elton John with Zane Lowe leading the effort.
Providing its users with exclusive content that’s unavailable on other music services is just one of the ways Apple Music is planning to draw customers to its service. The company has already managed to secure Taylor Swift’s 1989, as well as Pharrell Williams’ new single “Freedom.”
Apple Music launches with iOS 8.4 and updates to iTunes today (Tuesday) at 8 AM PT while Beats 1 begins broadcasting at 9 AM.
